Your noon Briefing

Welcome to your noon roundup of what’s making news and how the day is playing out so far.

Hello readers. Here is your noon digest of what’s making news today plus a long read for lunchtime.

2017 Asia Pacific regional conference Perth Western Australian (Sunday) Business Keynote & Panel DiscussionThe Future of Energy & ResourcesThe Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, Minister for the Environment and Energy, Australia

Electric shock

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg has hit back at opposition to electric car subsidies from Coalition colleagues, saying the critics will be ones driving the vehicles in the next decade as part of a “revolution” taking place in the transport sector. The Australian reported yesterday Liberal MP Craig Kelly, backed by Nationals MPs Andrew Broad and John Williams, would raise government support for electric cars at the next partyroom meeting and argue there should be no further subsidies given to the sector. Mr Kelly warned electric cars currently created more emissions per vehicle than conventional vehicles due to the make-up of the electricity grid. Judith Sloan remains sceptical, and writes: ‘Subsidise electric cars? You must be kidding, Mr Frydenberg’.

“I believe that it is a revolution taking place in the transport sector and it will make its way to Australia very, very shortly.”

Josh Frydenberg

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13/02/17. Canberra, ACT, Australia.Pics by Julian Andrews.Portraits of Rod Little and Jackie Huggins, co-chairs of The National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, pictured with the traditional Coolamon containing the 'Redfern Statement' they will present to The Prime Minister this week.

Best for British

Indigenous leader Jackie Huggins has hit back at Tony Abbott’s claim that indigenous people have benefited from the arrival of the First Fleet, saying the British who settled in Australia benefited from the dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Amid debate over changing the date of Australia Day, the former prime minister said British settlement had “on balance” been good for both indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. “I would argue that what happened on the January 26, 1788 was on balance for everyone, Aboriginal people included, a good thing because it brought Western civilisation to this country, it brought Australia into the modern world,” Mr Abbott said yesterday.

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Former Auburn Deputy Mayor Salim Mehajer leaves the Burwood Local Court in Sydney, Thursday, December 14, 2017. (AAP Image/Ben Rushton) NO ARCHIVING

Mehajer charged

Controversial property developer and former deputy major of Sydney’s Auburn Salim Mehajer has been arrested over perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to cheat and defraud in connection to a car crash he was involved in late last year. On October 16, while driving to Sydney’s Downing Central Local Court to face charges of assaulting a taxi driver, Mr Mehajer was involved in a crash in his white Mercedes AMG wagon, causing his court case to be postponed. A door was removed from the vehicle to free Mr Mehajer, who was fitted with a neck brace and stretchered out, leading his lawyer to tell the court Mr Mehajer had been involved in a “serious” accident.

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 21: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates winning a point in his fourth round match against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina on day seven of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 21, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Big guns

Rafael Nadal is a man on the mission ... but he’s got his work cut out for him today against one of the biggest servers on tour. Keep up with all the Australian Open action in our live blog.

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This American dad and his son were bashed in Melbourne.

Melbourne attacks

An American physician, who was allegedly bashed alongside his 17-year-old son by a group of teenagers as they left the Australian Open, has described Melbourne as a “magical city” despite needing titanium plates inserted into his face as a result of the attack. Dr Edmund Pribitkin and his son Edik from Pennsylvania were walking back to their hotel last Wednesday night when they were allegedly attacked near the Queen Victoria Gardens. The group of teenagers allegedly first approached the pair asking for cigarettes before demanding to be handed their belongings. Edik and his dad were then attacked as they attempted to flee: kicked, punched and pulled to the ground. Meanwhile, a group of young women are believed to be behind a series of assaults at a Melbourne apartment building, with police calling for two victims to come forward.

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Illustration: Eric Lobbecke

The long read: Betties bring trouble

Becalmed on stifling oceans, officers record their low opinions of the female convicts and order hellish punishments for four of them, as Trent Dalton and Eric Lobbecke continue their ground-breaking series reimagining the First Fleet’s journey.

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Comment of the day

“How many people will have to die at sea before Ardern sees the folly of her virtue signalling?”

Rick, in response to ‘New Zealand asylum offer fuels smuggle trade’.